Heads and Tales By Lani Waller:

Welcome to the first installment of a monthly column which is dedicated, in part, to the idea that fishing with feathers, fur, tinsel and wool is an imperative, even when the odds are against you, something which may seem a little on the odd side to those among us who use worms or chicken guts...or worse yet, simply stay on dry land.

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In order to be fair about my own prejudice, I have tried, but have failed, to see anything unreasonable about casting all day long without catching anything, standing in a half frozen river until my feet are gone, sitting in the coach section like a sardine for eighteen hours, just to fish a dry fly on some river with a name I can’t even pronounce, or blistering in the sun on a blazing salt water flat as I try not to drink my own sweat. In the first place, remedies are available which soon erase any temporary discomfort: hot coffee (with a little brandy) or a cold beer take care of a lot of things and in any event, when you do finally hook something, you are once again at the center of the universe, and all those who do not understand, or whom think you are crazy, can go (metaphorically) to hell itself. Now the wedding of fishing to this kind of passion and zeal conveniently inspire a perspective which is not unlike religion, and politics. It also becomes magical and gives fisher men and women the right to abandon normal reason and pontificate, swear, exaggerate, denounce all non-believers, give order to

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the universe, and to connect with something well beyond our normal day to day boundaries. I tried to describe this kind of sentiment and excitement at the end of Chapter Two of “A Steelheader’s Way” (Headwater Books and Stackpole Books 2009). The context of steelheading is one among many; even pork rind bass fishermen, or people who shoot carp with a bow and arrow are not left out of the possibilities for a magical time. I know, because I did both at one time in my life. “So perhaps the best of the magic is that it brings an understanding of our belonging to the natural world. When a steelhead fisherman reaches the river at dawn and wades through the shadows of mountains carved in stone and ice, he or she feels tied to the earth and water as surely as any creature may be. Order has been restored. The past has been re-gained. And the future? That all depends. I suggest it looks pretty good if the leader holds and you make it through the fourth jump.” So, as you may have already guessed, I believe there is a very big difference between fishing and angling, Fishing is the easier of the two, because it has only one major facet which dominates: it is about

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catching only. In other words, the more you catch, the better you are. Now, “better” is a strange but attractive word, and I sometimes believe in this definition of fishing especially when I have caught more than anyone else, but this kind of euphoria is always a temporary sentiment, terminated instantly by the times others catch more than I have. I think you’ve got to get smart about it. Getting smart about it means you realize that every dog has her or his day, that luck is always a part of the game, and that there is more to fishing than winding in a pile of scaly creatures who have absolutely no idea of what any of it means. They don’t even know you are there. When we realize this, and simultaneously understand the context under which we pursue our prey, why we do so, and the beauty and absolutely necessary importance of our sustainable participation with the natural world, it does become magical, and we can find the wisdom and understanding of a truly seasoned angler, and human being.

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I have, at times, considered the possibility that the truly best of us are those who have both the technical expertise of a fisherman, and the seasoned appreciation of an angler, but this too eventually fades and it seems obvious that words like “good, bad, better or worse” should just be left out of the discussion. What difference does it make? If you simply have to divide the participants into “winners,” and “losers,” and that’s your game, then I suggest you at least consider the possibility that the winner is always the person who has the most fun. My own attempts to explain all of this began in 1977 when I accepted an editorial position with Fly Fisherman Magazine. Dozens of essays and years later, in 2004, my first book “River of Dreams” (West Rivers Publishing) appeared, a collection of short stories and essays which were supposed to be just about fishing but soon wandered off into other areas I consider inseparable from fishing- including religion, politics, hunting, romance, and breathing clean air. And, as I’ve already said, in 2007 I convinced Jay Nichols and Stackpole Books to publish a “Steelheader’s Way,” a “how to do it” steelhead book which contained not only a lifetime of technical

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learning, but some very ambitious attempts to weld the technical stuff with the “other material” mentioned above. Reviews of both books were very flattering, but as someone once said, “Wisdom is a moving target.” So, like many of us, I have wandered all over the piscatorial map in order to make sense out of something I can’t live without, and something which is always changing. Addressing the inevitably of change will also a part of what this column hopes to be. Other subjects and topics will be perhaps less lofty and ambitious, but important. I still love tackle and all the accessories and accoutrements of our “sport;” in my opinion, they deserve explanation and conversation. Exotic destinations still beckon, and the how to do it stuff still intrigues me. So, these too will all be a part of “Heads and Tales.” And, my fishing continues; I am planning on leading groups of kindred spirits to selected destinations, and getting the word out on all of the new ”hot spots” that seem to keep popping up- truly unique angling adventures all over the globe. These reports- from my favorite travel agency Fly Waer

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Travel- to friends and allies who design rods, reels, waders, shirts, fly lines and fly patterns etc. A lot of information will be squeezed out of this family of friends and colleagues I have accumulated over the years. These people remain today where they always have been- on the cutting edge of new developments, ideas and ways of doing business and at the same time, saving rivers, lakes, streams, ponds and creeks, bays and oceans in the process. So you will hear it straight from the likes of SAGE Rod Co; Rio Line Co; Simms Co, Patagonia, Bauer Reel co, Jim Teeny Line Co, Umpqua Feather Merchants Idylwilde Flies etc... So, with all of this in mind- and more, welcome once again to “Heads and Tales,” and a series of, reflections, stories and pontifications which will take a look at both the mundane facts of fishing and the personal ramblings of an fisherman and angler now in his sixty fifth season, still trying to get his hook in exactly the right place. . Sincerely, Lani Waller

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Book Review: “Babine” A 50 year celebration of A World-Renowned Steelhead and Trout River.” by Pierce Clegg and Peter McMullan It must be in the eye of the beholder, for almost all kinds of moving water- from the little trickle of a high mountain meandering creek in northern Colorado- to the rumble and roar of a two mile wide stream cutting through the tangled jungles of central Brazil can be called a river. Despite a great craving for certain New Zealand trout streams, my own favorite rivers are those which host an annual run of wild rainbow trout called “steelhead,” as most fishermen and anglers know. Of the many I have seen over the years, some of those in northern British Columbia remain at the top of my own private mountain. Of these few there is one which is quite special indeed. There is a magic in this river which does seem inescapably addictive- especially if you love very

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sizeable rainbow trout, high glacial peaks of rugged stone and blue ice, dark green forests so thick they seem impenetrable, and an odyssey of life, death and re-birth so powerful they are not describable by anything less than legend and dreams. Ordinary stories simply do not cut the mustard. Most recently, British Columbia steelhead anglers Pierce Clegg and Peter McMullan have helped immensely by writing and compiling a marvelously personal account of the magic of this river in northern British Columbia, and the human drama of those who pioneered the early settlement and sustainable development of the watershed. Also included in this work are contemporary stories by anglers from all over the world who come to this watershed each fall season. It all adds up to a warm and interesting read...to say the least. The book is published by longtime steelhead addict Frank Amato, who knows a good thing when he sees one; the artwork is by steelhead fiend Dave Hall and the foreword is by Mark Hume- another BC steelhead writer and angler who knows of what he speaks.

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The river of course, is the Babine River, a major tributary of the one and only Skeena watershed of northern British Columbia. I’ve written enough, and have seen enough of the Babine myself, for the past thirty years- to see the absolute truth: there is no better steelhead water anywhere in the world. What makes this book so special however, is not just the technical specifics of trout or steelhead fishing on the Babine, but the human story of the pioneering men and women who came to the river to work, live and to make this kind of fish fishing available to so many others. It is indeed a remarkable chronicle of “a steelheader’s way”- the fact that the special magic of this kind of angling can become a way of life for some people who also know and care about a good thing when they see one. The title of the book is simply “Babine.” The sub-title is a little lengthy, but accurate: “A 50 year celebration of A World-Renowned Steelhead and Trout River.” The book starts with Mark Hume’s evocative and powerful foreword- “On Saving a Sacred River.” (More on this later.) In Part I, Peter McMullan proceeds with a sensitive essay called “The Magic of

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the Babine.” Pierce Clegg adds his own unyielding and passionate argument for the idea that northwestern salmon, steelhead and people- all share a common need for a healthy world and sustainable activities by industries and commerce in that part of the world, as well as everywhere else. Not a bad idea... Part II is made up of accounts of Ejnar and Joy Madsen’s pioneering work in setting up a fishing lodge on the upper Babine- from inception in 1953 to 1986, and the joy and heartbreak of such a process. Joy Madsen’s writing is honest and straightforward- written from the heart, and her account is an honest and unassuming diary of a steelheader’s life and way, one of the best I’ve read. Well known BC anglers and authors Lee Richardson, Gary Quanstrom and Peter McMullan complete this section with their own perspectives and appreciation for the Babine and the trout and steelhead angling found there. There is a lot here as well and it all adds up to a great story. Part III follows with a history of the Clegg family coming to the Babine, the conservation issues which emerged from 1986 to the present, and ideas and

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options for saving this magnificent river. Pierce is a friend of mine, so I suppose it’s OK if I say this: no one screams louder at injustices than he does; no one is more stubborn, no one fights harder, and no one is harder to argue with. His take on things doesn’t leave much room for bad practices and phony doctrines. Parts IV to VIII continue the story- personal accounts from guests and anglers who journeyed to the upper Babine and in the process, added to the river’s legendary status, lore and history. There are stories of immense slab sided trophy steelhead, stories of how the pools came to be named, descriptions of the seasons of a river’s life and the lives of those who lived, worked and fished there each year. These accounts are written by “regular” folks who love to fish and as such they ring with an authority that neither money, nor professional credentials alone can buy, or guarantee. The contributions of Chick and Marilyn Stewart, owners and operators of Babine Steelhead Lodge are included, as is a brief documentation of the Wickwire family’s pioneering presence on the upper Babine, and later, the creation and emergence of Silver Hilton Steelhead Lodge on the lower Babine.

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(Note: Babine anglers will also be happy to know that pioneering Babine angler, guide and lodge owner Bob Wickwire is currently writing a book about the Wickwire family’s life and work on the Babine.) Anglers who know the Babine and who fish it should get a copy of this book and read it not only for the human side of the river, but for the other side as well- the facts, maps and other data and information. Anyone wanting more information, or who want to help all of us who are working for this magnificent river can take a look at the Babine River Foundation’s web site at www.babineriverfoundation.com The Babine River Foundation is a privately funded organization started by the three fishing lodges on the Babine. Among other accomplishments the BRF inspired the creation of a separate monitoring committee, The Babine River Monitoring Trust- a “watch dog” organization devoted to evaluating the impact of land use management proposals and activities in the Babine River watershed and wilderness area.

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Much of this work has been truly “ground-breaking,” and we are proud of our accomplishments. Interested anglers can also contact me directly at laniwaller@gmail.com In closing, I would like to thank the authors, Pierce Clegg and Peter McMullan for their generosity because all book profits go to the Babine River Foundation. As a long time Babine angler and BRF Director I know what is at stake and what it will take to save this river. We have helped save the Babine to this point, but there will always be more to do. My own particular sentiment has evolved to this: we are now at a point in our history where we can no longer afford to be dominated by greed, profit or convenience and non-sustainable processes. Our world has taken a real beating, and I am not so sure anymore, that we can save it all, or restore it all to what it once was. We have however, lost enough already to un-sustainable processes and values, and “They” (whomever “They” may be) simply cannot have this river. It is not theirs to dominate, use and ruin, and then go on their merry way looking for the next non-sustainable economic opportunity. We need oil,

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electricity, minerals, food, water and wood, but we have indeed lost enough to unsustainable efforts to procure these necessities, and some of the natural resources we have inherited have to be set aside and saved. The Babine River deserves that salvation because it has always been special and will only become more so as other rivers and watersheds are ruined and lost forever. In the final analysis, the Babine remains a testimony not only to itself, but to the men and women who have loved it and taken care of it- the perfect expression of a wild and scenic steelhead river still wandering down to the sea each fall, still heavy with trophy steelhead, a few wild salmon, and all the bears, eagles, frogs, wolves and weasels, thick forests and unspoiled landscapes one could and must, hope for. As Mark Hume writes in his foreword of “Babine:” “This is a sacred river and it cannot be lost. It can be saved, but only if enough people care. After you’ve read this book press it into the hands of someone young. Tell them, “You should know about this place. Together we are going to save it.”

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Babine Reading List: Here are a few sources taken from the list on page 188 of “Babine,” and a couple of my own: Books “Steelhead Paradise” by John Fennelly, 1963 by Mitchell Press. “You Should Have Been Here Yesterday,” by Lee Richardson. Preface by Roderick Haig-Brown 1974 Touchstone Press “Steelhead Fly Fishing,” by Trey Combs 1991 by Heritage House. “There’s Only One Babine, An Introduction to the Babine River,” Babine River Foundation, Box 5016 Smithers, BC VOJ 2NO “River of Dreams,” 2004 by Lani Waller. West River Publishing. “Skeena River Fish and Their Habitat,” by Allen Gottesfield and Ken Rabnett. 2008 by Skeena Fisheries Commission. “Steelhead Fly Fishing,” by Trey Combs. 1991 by Lyons & Burford “A Steelheader’s Way,” 2009 by Lani Waller. Headwater Books and Stackpole Books. DVD’s “Lani Waller’s Steelhead Legacy.” 1986 by Scientific Anglers 3M and 2005 by Miracle Productions. Magazine articles

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“Heaven is a Steelhead,” by Joe Brooks. Field and Stream 1955 “The Super Star of Steelhead Streams,” by Dave Whitlock. Outdoor Life, 1978 “Splendid Skeena,” by Tom Pero. Trout Magazine 1990 “The Babine’s Steelhead Stewards,” by Peter McMullan, Fly Fusion Magazine, 2006 Books on tape “A Steelheader’s Way” Lani Waller reads both “A Steelheader’s Way,” and “River of Dreams.” Produced by Native Fish Society, Portland Oregon. Attn: Tom Derry 503-829-6207 tom@molalla.net